Song of the River
by I Can Kill You With My Brain
Summary: What happens? What DOESN'T happen? Family reunions, kidnap, blue hands, and, oh yeah, LOTS OF RIVER! Though the rest of the crew will make appearances .
1. Chapter 1

River was exactly twenty-four feet and five inches off the floor of Serenity, dangling by her hands from the bottom railing of the catwalk. Next to her was Kaylee, bright red and gasping.

It was a contest; something that they were trying after Kaylee had seen it on the Cortex.

"I'm stronger than you!" Kaylee gasped out. River smiled to herself. Kaylee couldn't beat her if she tried. River could hang for eighteen hours, thirty-three minutes, and five seconds before she lost her grip and fell.

With a gasp, Kaylee's hands slipped from the railing, and she plunged downward. She stopped with a jerk, her safety harness catching her five feet off the floor. She grinned up at River, silently wondering how while she was red, sweaty, and sore, River looked like she had just woken up from a long, refreshing sleep. With a smile and a soft sigh, River released the railing and fell until she felt her safety harness stop her with a jerk.

"Beat you." She said, smiling happily at Kaylee.

Kaylee grinned back.

"Just wait until next time," she threatened playfully, "Then we'll see who's better."

"There won't be a next time if you kill yourselves trying to prove who's better!" Glancing up, River saw Mal standing on the catwalk, arms crossed. But she could see through the frown on his face. He was happy that they were playing. No matter how hard he tried to hide his thoughts, River could always find them.

"I see you." She said, hoping that he would understand. He didn't.

"I see you to little darling," he said, a bemused expression on his face. "But when I come back in ten minutes, all I had better see is an empty ship and _a mechanic in the engine room_." He said, directing the last few words to Kaylee. She grinned sunnily up at him, and unhooked her harness, falling gently to the ground below.

"Aye-aye Captain Tightpants." River watched Kaylee vanish into the kitchen, the turned to look at Mal.

"Dorothy wants to go back to Kansas." She said calmly. Mal looked startled. He opened his mouth to ask a question, and then thought better of it. With a shrug, he walked off to find Jayne.

River pushed her feet into the air and rotated her body until she was hanging upside down, her long brown hair just brushing the floor.

She smiled softly to her self. "Two by two, hands of blue. They're coming for me, but they've found you."

She released the harness and dropped to the floor, throwing her hands up at the last moment to stop herself fro hitting her head. Righting herself, she wandered into the kitchen to have a snack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When Simon came into the kitchen, he saw River picking at a strange mash of what looked like boiled protein and canned peaches.

She looked up and caught his eye.

"It's dinnertime." She announced. Simon's stomach churned queasily.

"That's not dinner mei-mei, right?" he asked cautiously.

She gave him her trademark 'you-know-you're-being-stupid-right?' looks. Then she shook her head.

"Can't eat until all the birdies come back to the nest."

Simon shrugged, and went to the kitchen to start getting things to set the table with.

When Mal entered the room, he saw River curled up on the chair watching her brother stagger around trying to balance all the plates, knives, forks, and other things they would need for a meal, barring the food itself.

River glanced up at him and smiled. "Watch the bear dance."

Mal sighed, then went over to help that idiot of a Doc before he broke all their plates, something he wouldn't take kindly to.

"You to River," Mal called over his shoulder.

River pouted, annoyed. She was the ringmaster of the circus, no matter what Mal thought.

"Not gonna." Simon glanced up over his precarious stack of plates.

"She doesn't have to. I've got it." River beamed at Simon, then turned to Mal and stuck her tongue out.

Mal glared back. "Oh, she's most definitely going to."

River's face suddenly lit up into an evil smile.

"Ok." She sang, getting up gracefully. She danced over to Simon and stood there, hands outstretched. Once there, River analyzed the pile of stuff in her brother's hands. Reaching out, she pulled a plate from the middle of the stack out.

Physics, and gravity, did the work for her. With a loud crash, everything fell to the floor. Only the plate clutched in her hands escaped harm. Simon instantly grabbed her, checking to see if she was okay.

With a small sigh, River wriggled out of her brother's grasp. Simon could be such an idiot.

"Girl is fine, escaped damage, nothing else broken." River explained. Then, nudging the dinner things with her small bare foot, she added, "Soldiers are grievously wounded, require medical attention. Estimation of five cups, three plates, and two bowls are now casualties of war."

Mal grabbed her by the arm and roughly pushed her towards the door. "That's it, get the gorram hell out of my kitchen you poisonous little dwarf."

River smiled sweetly, politely ignoring that Mal's logic was flawed, as she was not poisonous and was a little taller than average. As she turned around to leave, she heard her brother yelling at Mal.

"Lion tamer should not have tried to overthrow the Ringmaster," she called back towards the kitchen. Laughing softly, she wandered off to her room. There was still time to draw bunny pictures before she had to come back to the kitchen to eat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

River skipped towards the kitchen, one hand clutching a drawing of a small black bunny with gigantic brown eyes. On it's head was a small red hat, and green bubbles floated near its mouth.

She paused in the doorway, and cautiously glanced inside. Everyone was sitting around the table, waiting for her. She noticed with amusement that all the dishes and cups were mismatched.

She darted into the room and stood in front of Mal. He looked at her calmly. She smiled happily, he wasn't mad at her. Then, remembering, she stuck out the hand holding her drawing.

The second his fingers touched the paper, she ran over to her seat and slid in between Simon and Inara. She watched eagerly as he looked at the drawing.

At first he frowned in bewilderment, then it hit him, and he gave a small chuckle.

"What is it Mal?" asked Jayne, craning his neck to get a peek.

Mal turned the picture around and held it up for the whole crew to see. Kaylee leaned across the table towards River.

"Did ya draw that?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. River nodded, happy that everyone liked her picture. The next words uttered destroyed that feeling.

"Looks like a pile of _go-se_ to me," Jayne snorted. River glared at him, then looked at Mal.

"Permission to dissect the ape-man?" River said hopefully. Jayne blanched, then glowered around the table when everyone burst into laughter.

"I'm hungry," he announced loudly, trying to distract everyone. It succeeded. Mal put the picture aside, and everyone helped him or herself to the food.

About halfway through the meal, Simon turned to River.

"I forgot," he said, picking up a carefully wrapped bowl and placing it in front of River, "You were eating this earlier." He peeled off the covering to reveal the unappetizing mixture of protein and canned peaches.

Wrinkling her nose, River shoved the bowl, and its contents, away. "Wasn't eating," she said, "Poured it on the controls." The effect of this statement was instantaneous. Everyone stopped eating and stared at River, who was obliviously chewing her food.

Wash found his voice first. "You what?" he wailed, half-rising out of his chair with the vague notion of going to the control room to see for himself.

Zoe grabbed her husband by the arm and pulled him down, then turned to River.

"River, sweetie," she said, struggling to keep her voice calm, "Why, _exactly,_ did you pour that stuff on the controls?"

River glanced up, and smiled at Kaylee. "Dorothy wants to go home," she said smugly. Confused glances were exchanged by all, and Jayne made a twirling motion around his head with his forefinger. Simon broke the silence.

"I," he said, "am so sorry about River." River shot him a withering look.

"Shut up Toto," she snapped, "You like Dorothy, so stop acting like the Witch of the West." Simon, blinked, taken aback. Then, recognition dawned.

"River, is Dorothy Kaylee?" River rolled her eyes and nodded. Mal looked at Simon.

"Tell me why in the 'verse your moon-brained sister poured glop on my controls or so help me I am going to deliver you to the Alliance myself."

Inara glared at Mal, but didn't open her mouth to protest. She knew that he didn't mean it, even though he didn't know it himself.

"She thinks that Kaylee is Dorothy, so she typed in the name of Kaylee's hometown and then poured her food on the controls so that we were locked out of the system." Simon would have continued, but was interrupted by Kaylee, who had reached over the table and pulled River into a hug.

"River, that was so nice of you! Now I can see my family!" River wriggled out of Kaylee's embrace and smiled at Simon.

"Now Dorothy can introduce Toto to the munchkins." She said happily, obviously pleased. Simon winced at her words; this was the one thing that he didn't want. When Simon met new people, he tended to come off as unlikable. The crew of Serenity was just starting to warm up to him, and he didn't want Kaylee's folks to hate him just as he was starting to express his feeling to her.

"We'll be in Oz in nineteen hours," River chirped, interrupting Simon's train of thought.

Mal looked at Kaylee's puppy dog eyes, River's sweet if slightly loopy expression, and Simon's look of ill-covered horror. That decided him. Anything to make the doc unhappy after he had caused the wreckage of all the plates.

Picking up on those thoughts, River's smile widened. She glanced up at Inara hopefully. Inara smiled gently in response.

"Yes River, I will help you do your hair for when you meet Kaylee's family." Glancing over at Kaylee's matching expression, her smile widened. "You to Kaylee."

Knowing that she would not be allowed near the plates, River got up and ran off to lie on the bed in Inara's shuttle and pretend that she was a princess in her castle.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Everyone, prepare for landing in ten minutes." Said Wash, his voice echoing through the ship as he talked on the comm.

River sat in Inara's shuttle, watching the Companion braid Kaylee's hair. As if sensing her gaze, Kaylee turned towards River.

"Thanks again River." She said quietly. "I've been missing my family." River smiled, pleased that her friend was happy.

She got up and stretched, then wandered towards her room. As she expected, Simon was there, quietly packing a bag full of clothes.

Glancing up, he smiled. "River, I got you a bag for the things you want to take." He gestured towards the bed, where a pink bag with rope straps lay. She wrinkled her nose.

"Ugly." Simon smiled.

"It was the only color they had mei-mei." River uttered a small sigh and reached under her bed, pulling out her art supplies. She unceremoniously dumped them into the bag and snapped it closed, then walked over to where Simon stood. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but was interrupted by a voice on the comm system.

"Simon, get down to the med bay _right now_." Snapped Mal, voice angry. "And don't even think about bringing River down here, this mess is all her fault." Mal hung up with a loud click.

Simon looked at River and shrugged, then ran out of the room towards the med bay.

River watched him go without regret, and then turned her attention to her suitcase. She unzipped it calmly and dumped everything out on the bed. As she suspected, it was crammed full of things like shoes, socks, and pink clothing.

She threw the socks and shoes under the bed and rifled through the rest of the clothes until she could find something non-pink. Finally, she dumped her art supplies into her suitcase and carried the hated pink bag to Simon's room, where she put it on his bed.

He could use it if he wanted to, she certainly wouldn't. She returned to her room and picked up the suitcase, which was now half the weight it had been before she had repacked it.

Ignoring Mal's earlier command, she pirouetted towards the cargo bay, her suitcase slung over her arm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Serenity landed on Troy, Kaylee's home world, at a quarter past noon. The whole crew was gathered in the cargo bay, waiting to get off and meet Kaylee's family for the first time.

Kaylee stood right in front of the doors, prepared to jump off the second they opened. Simon was next to her, looking very pale and carrying a heavy black crammed with medicines and other doctor related things. A small green bag rested on the steel floor of the ship next to him, filled with his clothes.

Mal, with Zoe and Wash right behind him, was sitting on Jayne's weight lifting machine, engaging in a staring contest with River, who was sitting right behind her brother.

Mal wondered idly what the doc would do if he realized River was behind him. That girl could move downright quietly if she wanted to. Inara, Book, and Jayne were softly placing bets on who was going to win. Actually, Jayne and Inara were placing bets, Book was lecturing on the sin of gambling, and totaling up how much money he would have made had he bet on River. The answer was a lot. The girl seemed like she could go forever without needing to blink.

The impromptu staring contest was ended when, with a loud bang, Serenity touched down onto Troy. River immediately broke eye contact and jumped up, causing Simon to yelp in fright.

"River," he gasped, "You nearly gave me a heart attack." River tilted her head, confused. Before she could say anything though, Kaylee let out a squeal and launched herself out the cargo doors and into the arms of her family.

River watched Simon turn pale. There were only twelve people waiting, but Simon didn't care. He didn't like very many people. He wasn't what you would call social.

The rest of the crew crowded forward, eager to be introduced. Kaylee pried herself away from her mother and waved a hand at the crew.

"This here's the captain," she said, pointing at Mal. "You can call him Mal though. And this is Zoe, and Inara, and Wash, and Jayne." She continued, pointing them out in turn. "This is the shepherd, Book, and this here is Simon."

River giggled quietly to herself. You didn't have to be a genius to know that Kaylee liked her boob of a brother, you could get that from her blush. River inched forward and slipped one of her small hands into Kaylee's. Kaylee looked down and smiled.

"This here's River," she said, smiling brilliantly, "She's the reason I'm here."

Kaylee's mother stepped forward. She was a kind, motherly looking figure with a plump form and gray hair. There was a soft twinkle in her eyes as she looked at River.

"Pleased to meet you River," she said quietly, trying not to frighten her. River smiled and ducked behind Simon. Straightening up, Kaylee's mom expanded her smile to encompass the whole crew.

"The house is right there," she said, gesturing towards a large gray house previously unnoticed. "Come in and meet the rest of the family."

As River picked up her bag, she saw her brother looking apprehensive.

"Dear God," he muttered, "There are more?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

River stood inside of the living room in Kaylee's house, and looked around. There were chairs and sofas galore to encompass every member of the Frye family, and there still wasn't enough to allow any of the crew to sit down.

"Well then," said Kaylee, "How about you, River, go play with the other girls and the rest of us will stay here and talk." When she finished speaking, five girls picked themselves up off the chairs they were sitting on.

River nodded happily, glad she was going to be able to play with girls her age. Simon looked worried, but then he always did. She gave him her best reassuring smile and followed the other girls out the door, up the stairs, and into what could only have been their room.

The walls were pink, a color so bright it made River's teeth hurt. She ignored it though. Pain was obsolete. She would endure it just so she could be friends.

She examined the girls, and felt a little disappointed that none of them were her age. The oldest was fourteen, the youngest nine.

The eldest stepped forward. "I'm Katrina," she said. She pointed to the youngest one. "This is Karen, and those two are Katherine and Kaye." She indicated the two middle girls, who were sitting on their bed, examining River with curiosity. River blinked, slightly confused by all the 'K' names.

"River." She blurted, pointing toward herself. Katrina nodded and smiled, then asked a question that River had been furtively hoping she wouldn't.

"So, what do you want to do?" River froze, shoving through her tangled mind, trying to think of something.

"Do you like Shakespeare?" She asked hopefully. If they did, maybe they could discuss their favorite characters and act out lines from the play. That would be fun, River had memorized all of his plays.

Their blank expressions ruined her hopes.

"Who?" asked Katrina. River guessed her to be the leader of the group.

"He's a writer." River forced out, trying her best not to dissolve into riddles and meaningless babble. Kaye shrugged.

"I don't read none," she said calmly. Her face lit up with an idea. "Let's play dress up!" River nodded, eager to agree. The other girls smiled at her and settled on the bed, scooting over to leave her room. River sat down, happy to be included.

"I wanna be a ballerina." Stated Katherine. Karen nodded eagerly. As the youngest, she would do whatever the others wanted, as long as they didn't kick her out of the group.

"What will we wear though?" said the ever practical Katrina thoughtfully.

"Pretend." Said River quietly. They looked at her, then nodded in agreement. River beamed. "Dance?" she asked. Kaye nodded, and made a 'go ahead' gesture.

Jumping up, River walked to the center of the room, stepping carefully around the clothes that littered the floor. She paused, her arms outstretched, then started dancing the part of Sleeping Beauty that she had had to do in her school play five years ago.

She leaped, spun, and pirouetted gracefully around the room, letting all her joy of being accepted seep into her dance.

When she stopped, her arms spread gracefully, in the center of the room, she looked cautiously at the bed. All four of the girls were staring, their mouths gaping open. She smiled happily. Then, Katrina shook her head.

"Let's not do ballet." She said softly. River frowned, puzzled. Katrina noticed the look and hastened to explain.

"It's not that you weren't good River, just that we ain't gonna look good next ta ya." River nodded, then went to sit on the bed. They sat quietly for a moment, then Kaye perked up.

"Let's be doctors!" she said. "River's brother's a doctor, we can go get some of his stuff."

Katrina nodded eagerly. "Wait here River," she commanded, then raced from the room, followed closely by her friends. On the bed, River pulled her knees up and curled into a ball, trying to keep the memories at bay.

She wanted to play, she didn't want to have a psychotic fit in front of her new friends, then they would know she was crazy and run away from her. She was spared from thinking to deeply by the noisy arrival of all the girls.

Rushing into the room, they dumped piles of stuff on the bed. River cringed away from it all, and jumped off the bed, moving back several paces as the girls oohed and aahed over all the stuff.

Smiling, Karen held up several pairs of blue gloves. River swallowed, shoving down a tide of growing panic. As she watched, the girls pulled on the gloves and some facemasks they had found. Smiling, Katrina turned towards her, holding up a pair of blue gloves.

"Come on, River," she coaxed, "Your turn." River shook her head violently, backing up until she felt the wall behind her.

"Won't." she muttered, beyond caring at this point. "Can't. Can't make me. Break the girl, watch all the pretty pieces fall away. Crash! Broke the vase. Can't fix it." She looked up, eyes wide with horror. "Can't see their faces, not human never human. I'm not contagious, why do you hide. Can't see anyone. Two by two, hands of blue. Two by two, hands blue." She pulled into a ball, shivering.

Katrina leaned forward, one blue hand reaching for her. "River?" she asked uncertainly.

Seeing the hand, River panicked. With a sharp cry, she brought her fist up, swinging it hard at her face. There was a sickening snap, and blood gushed from underneath Katrina's facemask. She ripped of her facemask and her gloves, sobbing with pain. The other girls followed suit, then surrounded their murmuring condolences and glaring at River.

Assuring her in their most threatening voices they would tell her brother, they ushered Katrina out of the room.

Picking herself up, River followed, stopping long enough to pick up only a blue glove on the floor. Recoiling in horror, she dropped it into the hidden pocket she had on her skirt, then raced downstairs, arriving at the doorway to the living room right behind them.

She slowly peeked around the doorframe. Katrina was crying softly as Simon gently examined her bloody nose.

"It's broken." He announced, pulling away. Then he looked back at the gaggle of girls. "River did this?" They nodded tearfully.

"Simon!" it was Kaylee, looking shocked. "Why did River hurt my cousins?" Simon winced.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "She must have had some sort of psychotic break. I'll see to it."

Mal nodded curtly. "See that you do doc. I don't care how sick she is, this is downright inexcusable." It sickened River, seeing how everyone had a mixture of shock, disappointment, anger, and even disgust on their faces. But what hurt the most was Simon. He felt like he had failed, and disappointment and embarrassment was emanating from him.

Slowly, she stepped into the room. Simon opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him.

"Wanted to play." She said softly. "Doctors, they wanted to play doctors." The crew's eyes widened in understanding, and Simon's lips tightened with fury.

"Wore masks," she whispered, "and gloves. Two by two, hands blue. Wanted me to put on the gloves, wanted me to wear the mask. But they got caught on the sharp edges and tore and I was scared. I tried to scream but I was choked and I was drowning in the blue and the red."

By the time she finished, Simon was white with fury.

"How dare you," he hissed, rounding on the quartet, "Try to make my sister be a doctor? Do you not realize the emotional and mental trauma you've put her through? Are you actually as dumb as you look?" Even Kaylee looked upset. Crossing the room, she wrapped her arms around River, who by this time was shaking with terror and exhaustion.

Noticing this, Simon stepped forward.

"Where's her room?" he asked Kaylee. She shrugged.

"She was supposed to stay with the other girls, but that's not an option now." Simon shrugged.

"She can stay in my room." With a final glare at the other girls, he led a shaking River to her room. Behind him, he could hear the shouts of fury that were being directed to the four girls who had caused this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

River opened her eyes to bright daylight and the smell of pancakes. Sitting up, she stretched, arching her back. She jumped up, happily reaching for her black skirt with one hand as she simultaneously stripped off the socks someone-probably her brother- had forced her into.

Suddenly, the events of yesterday hit her hard. She grabbed for her bedframe, forcing back a scream. If she screamed, it would hurt Simon, and the whole point of this visit was to make Simon happy.

"Focus on Simon," she whispered to herself. She dropped the black skirt and picked up a pink skirt that she had put in at the last minute. She didn't like pink, but Simon did.

She hurriedly yanked on her clothes and then exited her room, heading towards the smells and laughter that were coming from the kitchen. Her bare feet made no sound on the wooden hallways.

When she got there, she cautiously stuck her head around the doorway. Her brother was sitting between Kaylee and an empty chair that was obviously meant for her, he always sat next to her. He could take _so_ much looking after.

Glancing up, Simon smiled at her. "River, I didn't know that you were up." River gave him a hesitant smile and ran over to him, dropping into the empty chair.

"I smelled pancakes." She said, looking up at him. Kaylee leaned across the table towards her.

"My mom makes the best pancakes this side of the 'verse." River returned the smile, refraining once again from stating the obvious, Kaylee had no way to judge on the ability of her mother's cooking, since she probably hadn't sampled a pancake made by everyone in the 'verse.

A pancake dropped onto the plate in front of her with a loud plop. She glanced up at Kaylee's mom, then glanced back down at the pancake to see two eggs, sunny side up land next to her pancake.

"Eat while it's hot!" cried Kaylee's mother, already back at the stove and cooking more pancakes.

River poked the pancake, and then yanked her hand back, curiously examining the small burn on her index finger. She looked at Simon, but he was to busy feeding Kaylee pieces from his pancake. He had cut his in half, releasing a cloud of steam.

She was reaching to do the same when she noticed her eggs.

"Simon," she whimpered, loud enough to catch his attention, "The eggs are looking at me." Simon looked at her plate, then quickly slid the eggs off.

"There you go mei-mei, no more eggs." River smiled and reached for the maple syrup. At that second, the door opened, and in walked Katrina, followed closely by Kaye, Katherine, and Karen.

River noticed guiltily that Katrina had a large bandage across her nose and both her eyes looked like she had been punched.

They noticed her at once. Their mouths, which a moment ago had been laughing and talking, closed with a snap. They reminded River of a cage.

"Don't need to use a trap to keep the teeth in." She said helpfully. They stared at her like she was a bug they wanted to squash. "Sorry." She said, directing her apology at Katrina. "Didn't mean to." The girls kept looking at her.

Simon intervened quickly. "I apologize for being so angry yesterday. I was upset that River was upset and I reacted badly." He looked at them each in turn. "River didn't mean to, and she's already apologized."

Katrina suddenly nodded. "You're right River. It's alright." She smiled, beckoning with her hand. "Come on. Let's go play." River beamed and got up to follow them, stopping only when Kaylee placed her hand on her shoulder.

"River," her friend said gently, "Be careful. Katrina ain't the forgiving type." Her mom spoke up from where she was standing at the stove.

"She's right. That girl has a vindictive streak a mile wide." River refrained from rolling her eyes until her back was turned. She darted out the door. Behind her, she could hear Simon, Kaylee, and Kaylee's mom talking.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

River glanced up from studying a leaf, and trying to determine how long it would stay in Jayne's hair, to Katrina's face.

"Sorry." The four girls and River were sitting outside of Kaylee's house under a tree. Katrina wrapped her arm around River.

"It's all good River, don't worry." River nodded smiling, happy that her friends didn't blame her. Or at least she didn't think they did, she was doing her best not to look into their minds, she didn't think it would make her new friends comfortable.

"What do you want to play?" she asked quickly, trying to break the silence that had fallen. Kaye spoke up quickly.

"Let's play tag." She suggested enthusiastically. River nodded, smiling. She leapt to her feet.

"I'll be It first." She said trying, once again, to make up for yesterday. The other girls smiled and spread out, taking positions on the lawn far away from River.

"GO!" cried River, jumping forward to tag Katherine. Emitting a scream, Katherine ran. River giggled and chased her. She had analyzed all the players and knew that Katherine was the slowest.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Simon, Mal, Inara, and the rest of the crew were now out on the porch of the house, watching them play.

River skirted around a mud puddle and continued her chase. Suddenly, Katherine stopped, whirling to face her.

Smiling nervously, River reached out to touch Katherine lightly on the shoulder.

"Tag." She said, waiting for Katherine to laugh and chase her. Instead, she noticed Katrina come up behind Katherine.

"You broke my nose," she snapped accusingly. "You're a bitch." River flinched.

"Sorry," she whispered miserably. Katrina smirked, then reached out and shoved River hard in the chest. River could have stopped it if she had wanted to. She didn't though. She knew she had been bad and had to take responsibility for it.

Katrina's shove sent her flying backward into the mud puddle. She landed with a splash, struggled upwards, covered in mud. It was on her face, in her hair, and she knew her clothes were ruined. She saw Simon run towards her, the rest of the crew standing like shocked statues. She saw the vindictive glare of the girls standing around her.

Tears blurred her eyes and fell in hot tracks down her cheeks, leaving tracks in the mud. She let out a sob, whirling and running towards the forest. She heard Simon call out behind her, but she ignored him.

Simon stared after River, before whirling on the girls, planning on giving them another chewing out for being the worst friends ever. He had opened his mouth to begin when he heard a sound that made his blood run cold.

It was River's scream.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Simon raced towards the woods, like River ignoring the cries of Serenity's crew behind him. His heart pumped in his chest, fear sending icy trickles through his veins.

He burst into a clearing, and stopped dead in his tracks.

River was caught in a tightly woven net hanging from a tree. Something dark fell from the net. Simon emitted a cry and ran forwards, realizing at the last second that it was mud, not blood, that she was covered with.

River looked at Simon with terrified eyes. "Simon," she babbled, "The mousetrap is set and I'm the cheese." Simon reached up towards her, making soothing voices in his throat. River wanted to kill him, or herself, but the words wouldn't come out right.

"Run." She begged him, hoping that he would, but also hoping that he would stay with her. She was a bad sister, he stayed with her and protected her, and she couldn't protect him.

She reached a hand through a gap in the net and grabbed his hand, holding on tightly. "Don't leave me." She whispered. He smiled at her.

"I will never leave you mei-mei."

"That's good." Said a mean voice behind him, "I would hate for you to miss the party." Simon spun around, eyes widening, and a blinding wave of pain overtook him, and he collapsed, letting the cool blackness wash over him like a wave.

River screamed and thrashed. "Don't hurt him," she begged, "Please don't hurt him. I'll come with you. Won't scream." She stared tearfully at the man, pleading with her eyes.

He smiled, revealing stumps of yellow teeth.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting your brother, or a pretty little thing like you." River frowned in confusion, her mind floundering. She thought that he had hit Simon; maybe she had just imagined it.

He smiled again. "Sleepy time." He said, and raised a needle. River let out a shriek, feeling the needle come into contact with her arm, then let herself fade away like Simon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

River slowly opened her eyes, still groggy from the drug that the man had pumped into her bloodstream. She stumbled to her feet, her eyes blurring with the throbbing pain from her head.

She pushed the pain aside, reminding herself once again that pain was obsolete. She stood in a metal room with no windows and no access panels. It was a shuttle from a Firefly class transport, like the one Inara lived in.

On the floor in front of her lay Simon, a smear of blood on his head where the man's fist had connected. His hands were bound with rope, which surprised her as she was unbound.

She took a quick analysis on his vitals and deduced that he was unconscious, though his heart rate indicated that he was quickly returning to consciousness.

Walking over, River settled herself down cross-legged on his chest and leaned over him, deliberately making her eyes unfocused and glassy.

Her flair of genius was awarded when Simon awoke less then two minutes later.

He let out a scream and struggled backwards, his eyes wide. River giggled and dropped off of him, sprawling gracefully on the floor.

Simon smiled back at her. "Brat." Then he sobered, his glance flitting around the room.

"River, where are we?" he asked. River shrugged.

"We're flying." As if to prove her right, the little room suddenly tilted, obviously caused by some movement on the controls.

"Where to?" asked Simon, struggling to be patient.

"We are now ten miles to the west of Kaylee's home, and we will be arriving at our destination in under a minute." Simon blinked.

"Help me get out of these." He said, gesturing to his rope tied hands. River shook her head.

They'll just retie them." She paused, tilting her head. "We're here." The shuttle banged as they landed, throwing Simon and River against a wall.

River emitted a small groan and stood up, then turned and helped Simon to his feet. They both turned when someone knocked loudly on the door, seconds before it creaked open. It was the man from the forest.

"How are my two little birdies?" he asked with an unpleasant leer.

Simon opened his mouth, but River beat him. "We're going home," she said with a rapt look on her face. "The birdies are going to be free." She giggled and grabbed the rope tied around Simon's hands, dragging him towards the door.

Simon stared at his sister in concern. "River, are you feeling okay?" he asked hesitantly. River looked over her shoulder, rolling her eyes.

"_We're going home_." She repeated, speaking loudly and slowly, acting like he was the one with the mental problem.

River gave him a dirty look and kicked him. "Bad thoughts." She snapped, "Need to be nicer." She released Simon, who was jumping around in agony, and ran over to the man at the door.

Simon slowly followed, favoring his right leg. River skipped ahead, feeling sorry for poor, simple Simon. He was such a boob. He never understood her, even when she spoke in plain English, not riddles.

She pulled open the doors of the shuttle eagerly, and stepped into the bright sunlight. Simon came out next, followed by the man she had nicknamed Ugly.

Simon blinked, and raised his bound hands in a futile attempt to shield his eyes from the sunlight.

They were in a large mansion, a far cry from Kaylee's simple country home. It was large and white, with cool green lawns and many sparkling windows.

Two people stood in front of the shuttle, six feet away from River and Simon. The woman was short and pretty, with brown eyes and long black hair. Worry wrinkles were etched permanently around her eyes.

Her male companion was tall and rather fat, with cold green eyes and a receding gray hairline.

Their faces were lit up with joy. With a scream, River threw herself into the woman's arms. The woman started crying, her arms tightening around River. Simon forced himself to meet the man's eyes.

"Mother, father." He said coldly, forcing himself to keep all emotion out of his voice. "I wish I could say it was a pleasure to see you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

River sat on a comfy red chair in the living room of the house, watching Simon and her parents calmly. After Simon had greeted their parents, they had been ushered inside. River could sense the waves of hurt, anger, love, and disappointment rolling off Simon.

Gabriel Tam stood in the middle of the room, staring down Simon, who was also standing. Regan Tam was hovering off to the side, looking helpless.

River's father broke the silence first. "Why?" he asked simply. Simon stared angrily at his father.

"Why what?" he snapped. "Why did I leave? Why am I here? Why I didn't bring you back a pink pony from my travels?" River giggled. Her brother was the funniest when he was the most sarcastic.

Gabriel Tam seemed to double in size. "I will thank you not to take that tone with me young man." Simon rolled his eyes.

"So it's young man now is it? We can't just skip that part and go back to being all happy and joyous and silently hating each other on the inside?" His voice rose. "Well, excuse me for not running into your arms the second I got off that shuttle _after we were knocked out and kidnapped_! Oh yes, let's all have milk and cookies!"

"Simon!" sobbed their mother. She came forward and tried to embrace him, but he just stood there, as unresponding as a piece of stone. She pulled away, looking hurt.

"We didn't mean for you to get hurt." Simon's face twisted. Their mother hurried on before he could reply. "We just wanted to see you and River again." She turned towards River. "Sweetie, your best friend is here."

River frowned, confused. Her best friend was still _there_. If she was here, it was probably her mission to capture Simon and River and kill everyone else so that there would be no witnesses.

She looked at Simon for help. He looked back, his face just as confused as her own.

"River!" said her mother, sounding shocked. "Jamie's here." A light flickered on in the back of River's head. She recalled hazy memories of herself and another girl doing all the proper things that a lady and her friend should do together, such as tea parties, shopping, and learning all the rules of etiquette. If her memory served -and she didn't trust it- then Jamie was devoted, though she was a little stuck up.

River nodded, watching her mother let out a sigh of relief. "Jamie." She said. "Why is she here?" Her mother gave her a smile.

"Because she misses you, she hasn't seen you in four years you know."

"And who's fault is that?" snapped Simon, unable to contain himself. "You're the ones who sent her off to that nightmare of a place without even a second glance." Gabriel drew in a sharp breath.

"She was fine." He said, and edge to his voice. "You're the one who ripped her out of that place, you and your psychotic delusions. You've probably been pumping her full of drugs so that she honestly believes what you're saying."

River whimpered, curling into a ball. Instantly, Simon tried to move to her, but his father held him back. Instead, River's mother came over to her. River felt her mother's hand on her shoulder, but instead of comfort, a wave of pulsing sadness swept through her, drowning her. She twisted away, trying to curl herself up even more. She saw Simon twist away from their father, and coming over to her, pushing past their mother.

He put his hand on her shoulder. River scooted over to him, feeling the familiar touch of comfort and love.

"Simon," she whispered into his shirt, "Everyone's angry. I want to play with Jamie." She felt him smile into her hair.

"Of course you can play with Jamie now sweetie." Suddenly, Simon was pulled away. She blinked, and he was sprawled on the floor, their father standing over him.

"Why did she act like that?" Gabriel demanded of Simon, completely ignoring River, who was now sitting up in her chair and looking around again, fine now that no one was yelling.

"I told you," said Simon through gritted teeth, "This is River now." Their father shook his head, but before he could respond, the door burst open.

"River!" squealed a voice. River gave a hesitant smile.

"Hello Jamie." She responded.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

River looked at Jamie. She looked like a lady, dressed up really fancy with her hair in a mass of curls down her back.

River forced herself to smile. Jamie flew across the room to River. Jamie paused, looking her up and down. River flinched, bracing herself for a cold reception, just like she had gotten from Kaylee's cousins. Instead, Jamie smiled.

"River, what happened to you?" she asked, sounding amused. River glanced down at herself. She realized that she was covered in dry mud from her mud puddle disaster. In the flurry of excitement, she had forgotten.

Jamie shrugged, brushing the worry aside. "It's so good to see you again!" she exclaimed. She reached out and grabbed River by the arm, dragging her up. River followed, slightly overwhelmed.

"Come on," Jamie said, "Come to my room and we can get you all fixed up." She turned towards the door. River froze, unwilling to leave Simon.

Simon, recognizing what was happening, smiled. "Go ahead mei-mei," he said quietly, "Father and I have some unfinished business that need tending to." River smiled and followed Jamie out of the room.

Jamie led her through a maze of luxurious hallways until she arrived at a pink door. "This is my room," she explained to River. River nodded, silently despairing of how all girls seemed to like pink.

Jamie opened the door and dragged River through, then slammed the door shut behind her.

The inside of Jamie's room was a color scheme of pink. The bedspread, the walls, the furniture, everything was pink.

Jamie caught her looking and smiled. "Pretty huh?" River forced another smile.

Jamie grinned back. "Let's get the mud off of you." She pointed towards a small door in the wall of her room. "Through there is the bathroom. There's a closet in there. Clean yourself up."

River nodded and walked through the door. Mercifully, the room was white, not pink. She showered quickly, using only cold water. When she was done, she pulled her muddy clothes back on. All of Jamie's things were pink, and while her skirt was also pink, it was covered in mud, so it was less noticeable.

Not wanting to talk to Jamie, who River was beginning to dislike for being so stupid, River opened the window in the bathroom and dropped lightly to the ground below.

She wandered back towards the living room, and peered through the window. Simon and her father didn't appear to have moved during the time she was gone. They were both standing in the middle of the room with their arms crossed glaring at each other.

River knocked on the window, causing them both to whirl around, startled. She waved, and Simon smiled, coming over to open the window for her. She climbed in, ignoring her brother's offers of help, then sat back down in her chair.

Her father glared at her.

"Why did you climb in the window?" he demanded angrily, "And why are you still wearing those filthy rags?"

River glanced up at her father. "To much pink." Simon chuckled, making their father turn an even deeper shade of red.

He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the door opening to reveal River's mother.

"It's time for dinner." She said. Then, catching sight of River, she frowned disapprovingly. "River, why are you wearing those dirty clothes? And why aren't you with Jamie? She's your friend!"

River emitted a sigh. She didn't like repeating herself. "To much pink." She said loudly and clearly. "And the girl is stupid, doesn't think, doesn't know. Parties and hair and dresses crowd her mind." Her mother looked confused.

"Dinner." She said again, before leaving.

Their father stalked out of the room without a backwards glance. River shrugged before walking after him, pulling Simon along behind her. She was hungry after all.

The four Tams and Jamie sat around the table in silence. Jamie was upset and hurt, River was playing with her food, Simon was thinking up escape plans, and their parents were both angry and confused.

River broke the silence. "Can I have an orange?" she asked, pointing to a large basket of oranges across the table from her. Simon was tempted to get one for her, but refrained. Behind him, a guard was standing with a gun.

While in the living room he was trusted, if only because the whole house was filled with guards, here there were lots of knives and other sharp objects. Simon thought it was hilarious in a bitter kind of way that while he, the perfectly sane one, was eating a sandwich because he could not be trusted with knives, his mentally troubled little sister was carefully dissecting a chicken breast with two long, sharp knives.

He was almost hoping she would space out and slash someone- preferably their father- with one.

Jamie ignored River, and their parents did to.

River frowned, annoyed. She was back with her family, something she had been envisioning ever since she was _there_. Now, Simon was being treated like he was crazy, she had an idiot of a best friend who didn't really like her, and her parents ignored her.

River shrugged mentally, then pushed back her chair. Everyone looked at her, Simon almost hopefully. River stepped up onto the table and carefully navigated her way through al the plates and knives until she stood next to the orange basket.

She bent down and quietly picked one up, then proceeded to eat it, still on the table.

"River!" yelped her mother, horrified by her daughter's lack of manners. Her father glared angrily, and Jamie gasped. Simon just laughed.

River glared around the table. "Wanted to go home." She snapped. "But everyone's mad. Don't understand she's broken, little china ballerina smashed to bits and then glued back together. Still broken, sharp pieces falling off, red and blue flowing." River's voice rose to a wail, tears streaming down her face.

"Want to go home!" she screamed. Jamie and her parents sat in shock. Simon started to move towards her, but was stopped by a gun pressed into his back.

Their father recovered first. "You will go home." He announced importantly. River stared at her father, her face lighting up with happiness.

"You will go back to your school, and Simon will go to a mental hospital so that they can cure him of his delusions. Maybe when he gets better he can go back to being a doctor. Nothing to do with field work though, probably research."

River's face crumpled, terror in her eyes. "Don't make me go back," she pleaded, her eyes wide.

Gabriel Tam shrugged. "It doesn't matter what you say, they're already on their way."

"What?" yelled Simon, standing up, completely forgetting the guard. "What do you mean they're on their way? They're coming here to kill all of us and take her back there so they can cut into her brain!"

Their father rolled his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic Simon." Simon opened his mouth angrily, but was interrupted by River. Her face was cold, her eyes slightly glassy.

"Won't." She whispered. "Can't make me go back." She turned towards Simon. "Time to go." She raised her hand. A sharp knife was clenched in it. Before he had time to blink, she threw it. River watched disinterestedly as it landed in the exact center of the guard's forehead.

She glanced at the other people in the room. She moved easily, naturally. She didn't allow herself to think.

She kicked out with her right foot, connecting a solid blow with Jamie's jaw. Her eyes rolled up and she fell to the floor unconscious.

River spun gracefully on one foot, her other snapping up to catch her mother's head and smash it into her father's.

Then, she jumped off of the table, grabbing Simon by his elbow.

"The seating arrangement had flaws." She said calmly. She ran forward lightly, Simon following. Together, they left the house.

River had already analyzed the pattern of the guards movements and so was easily able to navigate to the shuttle that had brought them there.

She climbed into the cockpit, hands on the controls. With a small smile on her face, she faced her brother.

"Ready?" she asked teasingly.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

River sat curled up in the corner of her room in Serenity thinking. They had been able to escape and had met up with Serenity, which Mal was flying to their father's house to rescue them.

They hadn't gone back to Kaylee's home, for which River was glad.

River glanced up as her door slid open. Simon came in and sat down next to her; dragging a blanket off her bed to wrap around her.

River shifted closer to him, placing her head on his shoulder. They sat that way for several moments in companionable silence before Simon spoke.

"River, what's bothering you?" he asked quietly. River winced, wishing that Simon wasn't so perceptive.

"What am I?" she asked, her voice breaking. Simon frowned, trying to think of a good answer.

"You're a genius." He replied, hoping that was what she wanted. River frowned.

"But that's why they wanted me. I was smart. To smart. What do I have that's not tainted by them?"

"You're a good dancer." Said Simon, desperately trying to reassure her.

River shook her head, her long hair twisting around her. "They took that, made me dance a death dance. I dance when I kill and I kill when I dance." Simon stared at her in mute horror.

"You can sing?" he offered hopefully, the words coming out more of a question than a statement. In answer, River let out a hoarse, wet sound.

"Vocal cords were injured by screams." She started crying. "Girl is broken, she is nothing. All them, sewn together and assembled." Simon hugged her tightly.

"You're my sister." He said firmly. "That's what you are, my sister." He relaxed as he felt River nod, her tears stopping.

"That's why they're coming for you." She whispered under her breath, to low for Simon to hear. "That's why they're coming for you."

River knew that they knew where she was. It was only a matter of time before they came to get her.

TO BE CONTINUED IN: PARADISE (THE SEQUEL)


End file.
